Detachable heel and sole for foot-wear



May 9, 1939. B, T. HEWSON DETACHABLE HEEL AND SOLE FOR FOOTWEAR Filed June 5', 1938 FEM-mm "1 6m 14 n.

Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES DETACHABLE HEEL AND SOLE FOR FOOT- WEAR Bertram Tom Hewson, North Kensington, London, England Application June 3, 1938, Serial No. 211,524 In Great Britain January 23, 1936 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in detachable soles and heels for boots and shoes, and has for its chief object to enable a worn sole and heel, or any worn part thereof, to be very easily and cheaply replaced Without skilled labour and without the use of tools.

According to the present invention, the sole or heel comprises a plate formed integral with or adapted to be attached to the sole or heel of the footwear, said plate being provided with a plurality of apertures, at least one for each of the pads which is to be mounted thereon, said apertures being wedge-shaped and of gradually decreasing width towards the outer periphery of the plate, and also having undercut side edges adapted to receive correspondingly wedge-shaped and undercut projections on the underside of a plurality of rubber pads which together, when in position, complete the outline of the surface of the sole or heel, the whole being completed by a removable central pad which holds the outer pads in position and completes the surface of the sole or heel.

In the accompanying illustrative drawing:

Figure 1 is an underplan of a complete detachable heel according to the present invention, parts being broken away to illustrate the form of the mounting plate and the method of mounting the pads thereon.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an underplan of the mounting plate used in carrying out the present invention.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of Figure 3 showing the construction of the mounting plate.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of one of the removable pads of the heel according to this invention,

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawing, the device therein illustrated comprises a detachable multi-piece rubber heel for footwear and consists of a plate a shaped to the shape of the heel b and secured thereon by means of screws 0. This plate a may conveniently be made of a synthetic resinous substance such as that sold under the trade-mark Bakelite, but may obviously be made of any other suitable substance and, in some cases, may even be formed integrally with the heel structure b. This plate a is provided with a plurality of apertures I I, at least one for each pad which is to be mounted thereon (in the example shown-six pads), these apertures being of wedge shape and of gradually decreasing width towards the outer periphery of the heel.

The actual wearing surface of the heel comprises six outer pads ,f and a central pad h. The six outer pads f are shaped as shown more particularly in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing and together serve to complete the outline of the heel, the whole Wearing surface being completed by the central pad h so that no spaces are left between the pads.

The edges of the apertures I I are undercut as at I2 (see more particularly Figure 4) and on the underside of each of the pads ,1 there is provided a projection g which is of the same shape (viz., wedge-shape) as the aperture into which it is intended that the same shall take, the edges of the said projections being undercut as at g to cooperate with the undercut edges I2 of the apertures II.

The projections g on the individual pads are engaged in the correct order in the apertures I I, the inner or base edges of which may be cut away as shown to facilitate the entry of the projections and, after the six outer pads are in position, the seventh or central pad h is placed in position. This pad h is provided with means whereby it may be definitely yet removably secured to the heel structure I; by means of a pin n which takes into a suitable aperture in the heel structure and which is secured therein by means of a slidable pin m operable from the breast of the heel.

The edges of the central pad h are bevelled as shown to co-operate with the correspondingly bevelled inner edges of the outer pads and it will be appreciated that the presence of the central pad will serve not only to prevent the outer pads moving back out of engagement with the apertures I I but will also tend to press the outer pads outwards so that the outer pads f are secured to the plate a by means of a double wedge action. The wedge shape of the projections y will give a lateral action tending to force the pads f firmly into engagement with the plate a whilst the undercutting of the apertures II and the corresponding undercutting g of the projections y will give a vertical wedge action between the plate and the pads.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that there are left two straight and uninterrupted joint lines 20 between the pads disposed transversely across the heel. Such an arrangement is highly desirable in order that the pads may be readily inserted into position. Unless these two transverse and uninterrupted joint lines are provided great difficulty will be experienced in properly positioning the pads even with the construction according to the present invention.

If desired, a spring k may be provided about the pin n in order that the central pad h may be automatically forced out of position when the pin m is disengaged therefrom or the pad his released from its position in which it serves to hold the outer pads J.

I claim:

1. A sole or heel for footwear comprising a plate formed integral with or adapted to be attached to the sole or heel of the footwear, said plate being provided with a plurality of independent apertures, at least one for each of the pads which is to be mounted thereon, said apertures being wedge-shaped and of gradually decreasing width towards the outer periphery of the plate and also having undercut side edges adapted to receive correspondingly wedge-shapedand undercut projections on the undersides of a plurality of rubber pads which together, when in position, complete the outline of the surface of the sole or heel, the whole being completed by a removable central pad which holds the outer pads in position and completes the surface of the sole or heel.

2. A sole or heel according to claim 1, characterised in that the co-operating edges of the central and outer pads are mutually bevelled.

3. A sole or heel for footwear according to claim 1, characterised in that the plurality of pads forming the complete sole or heel are so shaped and arranged as to provide two continuous, spaced joint lines extending from side to side of the surface of the footwear.

BERI'RAM TOM HEWSON. 

